Taliban Beats Gay Afghan, Scalds Him With Boiling Water: ‘We Are Not Safe’

A gay man in Afghanistan said he was left traumatized after he was beaten and burned with boiling water by a member of the Taliban.

The man, identified as Sohil, told U.K.-based LGBTQ+ news outlet PinkNews that he was at a local government office to get a passport and a copy of his birth certificate when he was stopped by an armed Taliban militant.

Sohil, whose surname was withheld to protect his identity, was questioned regarding his visit and the "western" clothing he was wearing at the time, but the former medical student believes the Taliban member discovered he was not straight.

Sohil said the militant brought him to an office and continued the questioning there. He later accused Sohil of lying and slapped him, causing the latter to fall down on the ground.

According to Sohil, two other soldiers started to beat him before he was asked for his identity, but Sohil did not reveal he was an LGBT activist. One of the men then proceeded to beat Sohil again and kick him in the stomach, the victim said.

Sohil further claimed that a soldier picked up a teapot and poured the boiling water inside it on his face. The water also burned his chest and shoulder, the victim said.

The incident left Sohil "in so much pain and trauma" that he "couldn't sleep for one week after that," he claimed.

Sohil was also "shocked" and "disappointed" by the lack of support and response from the international LBGT+ community.

"I am totally shocked, I had hoped the LGBT+ community will help us, they will listen to our voice, but they are totally gone. No one is listening, no one is looking out for us. In this time we need the most help, there is no one. I don’t know why, do people just forget about us?" Sohil told PinkNews.

Sohil claimed the members of a small network of gay people he had been in contact with were all "living in the shadows" to evade capture and torture by the Taliban ever since the terrorist group took control of Afghanistan in August. He also described the current situation of LGBT+ people in the country as "terrifying."

"They are searching for people like us that stand against the Taliban. All of my community have deleted their social media accounts. People have told me: ‘Please do not contact me, we are not safe. If someone finds out about our gender or sexuality we will be killed,'" Sohil explained.

Sohil said he was a "normal person" prior to the Taliban's takeover but has been forced to flee his home due to his history of supporting human rights and now lives "like a prisoner." He added that he is terrified for the future and is desperate to get out of Afghanistan so he can start a new life away from the Taliban.